Heart-Shattering Twist Awaits in this Week's Daredevil: Born Again
Rewritten Article:
Title: Daredevil: Born Again's Third Episode Embraces Courthouse Drama
After a pair of initial episodes establishing the new status quo and giving Matt Murdock a chance to vent his frustrations, Daredevil: Born Again gets back to legalities in its third episode, titled "Hollow of His Hand." This episode, heavy on courtroom drama, effectively argues for the place of street-level heroes within the superhero milieu and lays the groundwork for future plotlines.
"Optics" concluded with Matt viciously attacking two corrupt cops bent on silencing a key witness, Nicky Torres, who could aid in Hector Ayala's release from prison. Although the duo attempts to prevent Nicky from reaching the courthouse through underhanded tactics, he ultimately succeeds, albeit after a brief detour involving Cherry and one of his old acquaintances leading the police on a wild goose chase. This deviation from the original plan doesn't matter much, as Nicky's appearance in court illuminates the dangerous nature of the police.
Countless narratives over the years have highlighted police brutality in the United States, and Born Again acknowledges that its police aren't any better. Even before we see Punisher tattoos adorning some officers, the sheer number of them in the courtroom would be intimidating enough from Nicky's perspective. Matt may be able to brawl with cops and trade verbal zingers with District Attorney Blake Taylor, but for ordinary citizens, speaking out against the police can be a death sentence the moment they step into the courtroom. That's why Nicky chooses to prioritize survival and refrains from implicating the corrupt cops despite having ample opportunity to do so.
Faced with no other option to save the case, Matt resorts to outing Hector as the White Tiger in court. This risky move could potentially sabotage the entire case, placing a larger target on both Hector's and Matt's backs. Before this development, however, Hector testifies, painting himself as a human being in an attempt to sway the jury. Hector's on-screen appearances are brief but powerful, instilling a sense of nobility in the jury but causing discomfort for Matt, who has abandoned his Daredevil persona and has no interest in returning to it. Hector sees things differently, though, asserting that being the White Tiger isn't a choice for him but a calling.
Matt's gambit ultimately pays off: individuals who Hector had saved during his vigilante days, including the police, come forward during the trial to corroborate his heroic actions. Even a gruesome account of Officer Shanahan's death at the hands of a subway train fails to win the case for the prosecution, and Hector is acquitted of all charges. The episode ends on a celebratory note for Matt and the Ayala family, but the impending response from Wilson Fisk casts a dark shadow over the proceedings. (Although Fisk and Vanessa have minimal screen time in this episode, their plotline continues to simmer in the background, promising to come to a boil as Fisk formulates his response to anti-vigilantism.)
True to his word, Hector can't resist his calling to be the White Tiger, even just hours after his acquittal. After a proper suit-up sequence that feels long overdue in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hector returns to his vigilante duties... only to be fatally shot by an unknown assailant adorned with the Punisher logo. The identity of the attacker and whether the shooting was ordered by Fisk remain mysteries yet to be unveiled; for now, we are left with the haunting sound of the coqui tree frog, a creature Hector mentioned in the episode as being native to his home country of Puerto Rico, symbolizing a life partnership.
Although it would have been advantageous for Disney to air "Optics" and "Hollow of His Hand" back-to-back, given their interconnected narratives, this decision mainly affects future rewatching experiences. On its own, "Hollow of His Hand" is a generally solid episode of television that concludes with a poignant twist: Hector's blood now rests on Matt's hands, and this emotional burden will shape his actions for the remainder of the season.
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- In the future, technology may inject more courtroom drama into the superhero milieu, similar to the way Daredevil: Born Again's third episode, "Hollow of His Hand", has done.
- Io9's future coverage may especially focus on the preservation of narratives like that of Daredevil: Born Again, given its potent exploration of police corruption and the role of street-level heroes.
- Technology can sometimes pose threats, as seen when Hector Ayala, as the White Tiger, was fatally shot by an unknown assailant adorned with the Punisher logo in the third episode of Daredevil: Born Again.
- For the io9 readers who are ardent fans of television shows like Daredevil: Born Again, future episodes will likely explore the consequences of Hector's death and its impact on Matt Murdock's actions, creating a compelling narrative arc.
